This blog is kept by Elder Nathan Gardner's family. It will include pictures and letters, we hope you enjoy!

Monday, January 23, 2017

Sonzocate, El Salvador

Back to El Salvador

Temple- Sal Salvador

E. Ostler, Gardner, Harris

Transfers

New Companion E. Kleinman

(bits from Nathan's letter)

I am in an area called Sonzacate, I'm outside of the city now for the first time in El Salvador and the area that I am in is very safe (well, very safe by my standards). Elder Kleinman is from Arizona, only the two of us live in our house. Elder Kleinman and i should get along well.

I had to adjust to El Salvador a little bit, it is sooooo much different than Belize. First of all, it is much cooler here. But, I had to adjust to seeing all of the poverty. It is sad to see but I know that the Lord will still always provide for those who keep the commandments. There are a lot of people here in El Salvador who are just so positive in their attitude although all seems to be going bad. I admire one member that I just met the other day named Hno. Lue, he is a convert of 9 years. He works in manual labor for 12 hours a day every day but Sunday, he is going to send his daughter on a mission in two weeks. He told us how he has sacrificed almost all of his savings just to buy a suitcase, clothes, camera, and scriptures. He is concerned for his daughter, but he is willing to sacrifice a lot of things for himself in order to help his daughter be happy. This guy also has a positive attitude. I look up to people like that, I admire their faithfulness although the path seems very difficult.

I've already eaten pupusas like 4 times, I don't know what it is about them but they are so good! They are literally fat and greasy tortillas stuffed with liquidy beans and cheese, dipped in tomato sauce, but they are delicious. They taste fantastic! I can eat those things every night, I just won't eat them every night becasue I'll get fat.

I just completed 18 months in the mission and i have just over 5 months left to go. I feel like the end is super close now.....but I am going to stay diligent up to the very end. The greatest feeling is to see others make changes in their lives and to know that you did something to help them do it. The Spirit is the key to missionary work and when the people do things that allow the Spirit to touch them, the miracles happen! I'm grateful for the gospel and I hope to continue to be a missionary all of my life.